taz delineation - webinar taz team us census bureau february 25 and 28, 2011

TAZ Delineation - Webinar

TAZ Team

US Census Bureau

February 25 and 28, 2011

Presentation Overview• Notification and Shapefile download

• Installing the MTPS

• Running the MTPS for the first time

• TAZ and TAD startup options

• Importing Block Equivalency Files (BEFs) into MTPS

• MTPS Tools and Toolboxes

• Modifying TAZ/TAD geography

• Verification Toolbox in MTPS

• Switching between TAZ and TAD delineations

• Resetting and Changing TAZ/TAD delineations

• Reporting Changes

• FTP Changes to the Census Bureau

• Dividing up work areas2

Notification and Shapefile Download

• States released on a flow basis– Expected start mid-March– 90 days to complete work from initial email– Email sent to participants with SetupFile when data is

available

• Download the MTPS software– Call for username and password– Create an ‘MTPS_software’ folder and unzip the software to

this location

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• Download shapefiles from the web– http://www.census.gov/geo/www/pvs/TAZ_PVS.html

– Select download each county in the MPO/State DOT• Creates a ZIP for each county file containing all shapefiles and required

data files

– Create a ‘TAZ_layers’ folder on your C: drive• Copy and extract each ZIP files contents to the ‘TAZ_layers’ folder

• Copy SetupFile and file to the ‘TAZ_layers’ folder

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http://www.census.gov/geo/www/pvs/TAZ_PVS.html


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(1) Download MTPS, participant guidelines and select a state

(2) Check the counties you wishto download

(1)

(2)

Installing the MTPS

• Select the icon in your ‘MTPS_software’ directory

• Install the program using the default settings

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Installing the MTPS

7Select either

Setting Up the Data

• MTPSData folder– The software install should have created the MTPSData

folder and copied all data to this folder

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Running the MTPS

• Start Menu Programs MAF/TIGER Partnership Software– Password ‘TAZ’ (all CAPS)

– Load time (few minutes to a few hours)

– User Information

– Startup Choices

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Hit OK

Running the MTPS

• Computer Based Training (CBT)– Basic skills and TAZ

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Running the MTPS

• Computer Based Training (CBT)– Basic skills

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Running the MTPS

• Computer Based Training (CBT)– TAZ

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Running the MTPS

• Go Directly to MAF/TIGER Partnership Software (MTPS)

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Click to zoom to coverage

TAZ Startup Options

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Select ‘I will be building Traffic Analysis Zones’

Select one of the TAZ startup options

TAD Startup Options

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Select ‘I will be building Traffic Analysis Districts’

Select the geography toaggregate TADs from

Select a method to createTADs

TAZ / TAD Startup Options

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Select both ‘I will be building Traffic Analysis Zones and I will be building Traffic AnalysisDistricts’

Select one of the TAZ Startupoptions


Importing Block Equivalency Files (BEFs)

• What is a BEF?– File in DBF, CSV, or TXT format that allows the user to

import their TAZ/TAD delineation– A BEF can be created in ArcGIS or another preferred GIS

• What is required in a BEF?– DBF, CSV, or TXT file format– Contains attribute fields for the block ID and TAZ/TAD codes– Place directly in MTPSData folder

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• How can I create a BEF?– The BEF can be created in ArcGIS or another preferred GIS– It must be based on the 2010 Census tabulation blocks– 2010 tabulation block shapefile are currently available if

participants wish to get a jump start on their BEF files

• Why won’t my BEF file import into MTPS?– Duplicate block IDs– BEF is not of the correct file type or the name is not

formatted correctly– Not in MTPSData folder– Multiple BEFs in DBF format– Modified CSV in Excel

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• BEF Examples

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• BEF Examples

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Duplicate Block IDs

Don’t edit in Excel


• Adding the BEF to MTPS

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Select either

MTPS Tools and Toolboxes

• The MTPS contains several tools and toolbars that the user should be familiar with– Main Menu– Standard toolbar– Tools toolbar– TAZ toolbox

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• Main Menu

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• Standard Toolbar

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• Tools Toolbar

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Zoom In

Zoom Out

Pan

Get Info

Previous Scale

Initial Scale

Multi-Layer Info

Multi-Layer Area Info

Measure Distance Tool

Measure Size

MTPS Tools and Toolboxes• TAZ Toolbox

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Target Area Pointer

Zoom to Area

Zoom to Area Layer (full extent)

Display Area Data

Select by Pointing

Select by Shape

Cancel Edits

Save Edits

Edit Layer

Target Area

Source Area

Selection Layer

Population and Worker Counts

Modifying TAZ and TAD Geography in MTPS

• Selecting a Target Area• Selecting a Source Area• Selecting a Selection Layer

– TAZs– TADs

• Select by pointing tool• Select by shape• Creating a new entity (TAZ and TAD)• Modifying a TAZ or TAD code• Population and worker counts

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Modifying TAZ Geography in MTPS

• Selecting a Target Area– Use target area pointer tool or target area dropdown

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Target area will havea grey hatching


• Selecting a Source Area– The source area is a specific location to which area can be

added from

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Selecting TAZ 00000020as the source areaprevents area outside this TAZ from being added to 00000013


• Selecting a Selection Layer– The selection layer can be changed to block, block group, or

census tract depending on the area that should be added to the TAZ

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• Select by Pointing– Allows the user to select one unit of geography (tract, block,

etc) to add to a TAZ– Better for selecting larger geography like tracts

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Using select by pointingtool to add whole tractsto TAZ 00000013


• Select by Shape– Allows the user to select all geographic units (tracts, blocks,

etc) within a defined polygon– Better for selecting smaller geography like blocks

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Using select by pointingtool to add whole tractsto TAZ 00000013

Modifying TAD Geography in MTPS

• Only the selection layer differs from what is used in modifying TAZ geography– Only TAZ 2010 is an option

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Creating New TAZ/TADs in MTPS

• Select New Entity as the target area and add geography

• Enter up to an 8-character alphanumeric code

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Modifying TAZ/TAD Codes in MTPS

• To modifying an entire TAZ/TAD code select display area data, select the TAZ/TAD and enter a new code

in the attribute box

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Population and Worker Counts

• Population and worker counts are modified each time the user selects a new geographic unit to add to a TAZ or TAD

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Initial pop and worker counts of TAZ 00000033

Update pop and worker counts of TAZ 00000033after adding highlighted area

TAZ and TAD Verification

• Required checks– Unique codes (should never fail)

• These will fail for contiguity rather than unique codes

– Nesting (TADs only)

• Suggested checks– Unassigned area– Minimum population (600 TAZs, 20000 TADs)

• 1200 recommended for TAZs; software flags those less than 600

– Contiguity– Compactness

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• Unassigned Areas

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Click ‘Verify’ to get the list offailures for each required and suggested checks. Click the magnifying glass to zoom to the specific failure.

Highlighted area has notbeen assigned to a TAZ


• Nesting (TADs only)– TAZs must nest within TADs

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Circled area shows a TAZthat does not nest withina TAD


• Minimum population– TAZs: 600 (suggested 1200)– TADs: 20000

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Highlighted area shows aTAZ that does not meet theminimum population or worker count of 600


• Contiguity– TAZs/TADs should be contiguous with some exceptions (e.g.

islands, etc)

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TAZ 88888888 failed for compactness due to a 0.058shape index


• Compactness– Shape index of less than 0.15 (ratio of area of polygon to

area of minimum surrounding circle

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TAZ 88888888 failed for compactness due to a 0.058shape index

Switching between TAZ and TAD Delineation

• Switching from TAZs to TADs– Choose ‘Delineate TADs’ TAZ menu– TAZ delineation should be complete

• Switching from TADs to TAZs– Any changes to TAZs after TADs are delineated may require

additional updates to TADs• Nesting issues

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Resetting TAZ/TAD Delineation

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Must use same delineation option used at the start



NOTE: Resetting the TAZ/TAD delineation will erase any previous work

Changing TAZ/TAD Delineation

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The user has the ability to selectto delineate TAZs, TADs, or both



NOTE: Changing the TAZ/TAD delineation will erase any previous work

Reporting Changes

• TAZ Menu Report Changes– Both TAZs and TADs must be verified (software might ask to

verify TAZs/TADs twice)– Creates a ZIP file in the MTPSData folder

• Contains shapefiles and BEF files for each county in the MPO coverage

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The output ZIP file will be named something similar to TAZ_RA1234_Return.zip

FTP Changes to Census Bureau

• Secure Send-a-File Utility– https://secure.census.gov/cgi-bin/sendfile– Enter username and password provided in participant

guidelines

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Browse to the location of the output ZIP file

USCB employees email address:[email protected]

Senders email address:<your email>

Splitting Work Areas

• Modifying the SetupFile– Instructions provided in participant guidelines– Primary participant must complete verification on entire MPO

before submitting to the Census Bureau– XML file required for

the MTPS to function– Double-click the

SetupFile to open

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• Modifying the SetupFile– View Source

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Opens the SetupFile ina text editor (notepad)


• Modifying the SetupFile– Edit the CoreCountyCoverage and save (repeat as

necessary to create multiple SetupFiles)– File name must include SetupFile at the beginning

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• Dividing work administratively– Primary participant divides work up within a single county– Individuals will complete their delineation assignment

• Each will have unassigned area outside of their work area

– Primary participant should collect all BEF files and import into MTPS for review on complete coverage

• Original setup file should be used

• Verification on entire coverage

– Primary participant submits ZIP file with output to Census Bureau

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IMPORTANT!

• Should you encounter any software errors (such as the one below) during delineation, please contact the Census Bureau immediately. Do not continue working! If you do encounter a software error, follow the procedures in your participant guidelines so that we can fix the error without loss of work.

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Questions?

TAZ [email protected]

301.763.1099

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taz delineation - webinar taz team us census bureau february 25 and 28, 2011

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